Dallas Wiens made history as the first person in the United States to receive a full face transplant, a groundbreaking procedure performed at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) in Boston.
At a press conference on April 2, Wiens spoke publicly about his experience, the journey that led to the surgery, and how his life has changed since—including his role as a father and his work with the About Face Foundation, which he founded to support others with facial differences.
The complex procedure involved:
-
A surgical team of over 30 medical professionals
-
15+ hours in the operating room
-
The complete transplantation of nose, lips, facial skin, muscles, and nerves to restore movement and sensation
“This was not just about restoring a face—it was about restoring a life,” said one of the lead surgeons at BWH.
The face graft was made possible through the selfless consent of the donor’s family. Unlike typical organ donation, facial transplants require explicit family approval, even if the donor is registered.
A Legacy of Innovation
Brigham and Women’s Hospital has long been at the forefront of transplant medicine. Notable milestones include:
-
The world’s first successful organ transplant (kidney, 1954)
-
New England’s first heart transplant (1984)
-
The nation’s first triple (1995) and quintuple organ transplants (2004)
-
More than 30 lung transplants in 2008
-
Over 100 kidney transplants in a single year (2006)
Supported by the U.S. Department of Defense, BWH continues to advance face transplant research and is actively evaluating new candidates for future procedures.
